Moral Value: the Death Penalty

Moral Value: The Death PenaltyThe death penalty is a moral value issue that has brought much controversy within society. It is morally justifiable to continue to practice the death penalty for convicted felons who are a threat to society. The death penalty is authorized in 37 states in the United States as well as by the U.S. Military. There are 13 states as well as the District of Columbia that do not practice the death penalty. Capital punishment, another term used for the death penalty in the United States, is reserved mainly for those convicted of aggravated murder or felony murder. Other crimes that may fall under the capital punishment category are use of a weapon of mass destruction, treason against the United States, terrorism, and in some states aggravated kidnapping. Sentencing a person to death is the job of a judge that is assigned on a case by case basis. Each of the above listed crimes should be taken on a case by case basis, however, the death penalty should remain an option if the crime is violent, and if the criminal is unable to safely be returned to society. Those who oppose the death penalty claim that the death of a convicted felon is costly, and also point to the possibility of a wrongful conviction. These arguments are not relevant due to the alternative cost of keeping someone in prison and the accuracy and fairness of the current justice system in the United States.

The first, and probably most morally justifiable, reason to continue to allow capital punishment is the justice and closure it gives to the families of the victims of violent crime (Messerli, 2012). When a family member is violently taken away by another person there is nothing that can be done to bring that person back, however, the justice that is brought when the offender is sentenced to the same fate is some comfort to family members....

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The cause of the deathpenalty more often then not is politically inspired. Fear has long been a favored method for controlling the population. In the case of the execution of those found guilty of murder in developed countries such as The USA , where the motivation is simply political. More votes are gained by appealing to the sense of justice exhibited in the lower educated classes than are to be gained by appealing to those that are more educated and trained in the exercise of reasoning. It is one of the failings of democracy. The effect of the deathpenalty is that if a person is a murderer he or she has nothing to lose by killing to cover their crime. No murderer commits a crime and intends to do the time.
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I agree with deathpenalty. Deathpenalty prevents future murders, it is an ultimate warning against all crimes, the society requires deathpenalty for taking a life; “eye for an eye”, it provides closures for the victim’s families and friends, and it contributes to the problem of overpopulation in the prison system.
Argument
1. Deathpenalty prevents future murders.
- Even if the criminals are given a life sentence, if they’re actions are good in prison, they are able to leave the prison. Yes, even after they leave, they will be released on a license, which means that they are subject to certain conditions for the rest of their life. But the fact that they committed a crime does not change. They could make the same mistake and harm innocent people.
- http://sentencingcouncil.judiciary.gov.uk/sentencing/sentencing-myths.htm
2. Deathpenalty is the ultimate warning against all crimes. If the criminals know that if they commit any intolerable crime, the justice system won’t stop at putting them to death.
- In a sense, opponents of capital punishment who argue that it is not a deterrent are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to the criminal rather than to the victim.
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...fundamental and crucial social codes and laws are those who in some cultures should be paid with the ultimate price, life. And because of very bitter situation, many people find themselves in either supporting or opposing such action. When arguing about the issue of deathpenalty, we touch a very sensitive issue for the decision-makers in a country, since it is an irrevocable action taken for the preservation of social order. This problem has been considered an issue for decades. People have tried to argue about it from the aspects of morality of such an action. Death punishment has been so accepted by people in the past, to the extent that the execution of the sentenced people was done in public. This phenomenon was considered as the right action since at that time it was supported by religion as well. The society has evolved since then in many aspects, and the degree of civilization of human kind is the main element that is pushing people to analyze further the sentence of capital punishment. By no doubt, a person who commits a capital crime deserves a higher punishment than someone who is engaged in a minor crime such as pickpockets. The question is whether that punishment should be deathpenalty.
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...punishment or what we call the deathpenalty.
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Background of the Study
About 4000 years ago, there is a very famous phrase that has been the norm for judicial practices in early civilization. The famous phrase, lextalionis or known as an eye for an eye, believe that, it has been originated in the early Babylonian Civil Law (1780 BCE). This principle was found in Hammurabi’s code, it states that punishment must be exactly equal to the crime committed. It is also known as the mirror punishment, practiced by the early Roman Civilization which pictured in the execution of the crucifixion. Even, the Lord Jesus Christ quoted this principle in His Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 5, Jesus directly quoted this code to support His teaching. It is...

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Deathpenalty
The deathpenalty has been the highest form of criminal punishment in the American judicial system since the thirteen colonies. It has taken the form of hanging, stoning, beheading, gasing, burning, drowning, and injection. However, the taking of a man’s life as a repercussion for a criminal behavior is wrong. The moral injustice of murder, the cruelty of execution, and the death of innocent men are all concerns that make the deathpenalty wrong. The government should abolish the deathpenalty in order to observe morality, end cruelty, and protect innocent men.
The deathpenalty violates the constitutional ban against cruel and unusual punishment. A state should not have the right to take a man’s life as a repercussion for the man taking another. The deathpenalty is uncivilized; it makes people look as if they haven’t advanced as a civilization. “The deathpenalty is a waste of taxpayer’s money and has no public safety benefit” (Bedeau). Applying the deathpenalty does not lower crime rates, the states that have it enforced do not have a lower crime than those who do not. For some reason people who are colored are more likely to be executed,...

...9:15-10:20)
The deathpenalty is a topic of much controversy in the modern world both on a personal level and a geopolitical level. There are many arguments for and against it but I feel that, though many people may and will disagree with me, there is a black and white correct answer, which I will discuss at the conclusion of this paper.
Through history the deathpenalty has taken many incarnations: the gallows, the gas chamber, the firing squad, the electric chair and finally, to where most executions fall within today, the lethal injection. Using a punishment of death finds itself held up by many major solid arguments such as deterrence of criminal behavior, reduction of repeat offenders, and safety and retribution for the families of victims.
Though there is no measurable way to acquire statistics on the deterrent effect of the deathpenalty, it would seem logical to assume that many crimes that could have been committed, were walked away from unfinished because of the fear of a potential punishment of death. Ernest van der Haag, a Fordham University professor of jurisprudence, explains deterrent qualities, as “Whatever people fear most is likely to deter most.” Looking at it from that angle, once again a reasonable person may be able to ascertain that death is the ultimate deterrent. In that vein, a 1973 study done by Isaac Ehrlich which...

...October 15, 2012
DeathPenalty
The deathpenalty is a topic that is hotly debated among people all over the country. People tend to feel very strongly one way or the other. The United States is in the minority as far countries that still practice the deathpenalty go (Messerli). Some people believe this is a barbaric practice that is below the civilized culture of The United States. Other people believe that death serves as a far better deterrent to would be criminals than life in prison. Be that as it may, each of the 50 states gets to decide for themselves whether or not they will participate in capital punishment. Pro deathpenalty debaters argue that capital punishment is a stronger deterrent, saves money and frees up the court systems, and saves the lives of those who could be harmed by life sentence serving inmates with “nothing to lose.” Anti-deathpenalty debaters argue that it is not ok to murder a murderer no matter what the circumstances, that innocent people would inevitably be killed, and that it would not be any more of a deterrent to someone willing to kill than life in prison would be. Both sides have valid points. There are ways to compromise and alleviate the concerns and arguments of the anti-deathpenalty group. Only pursuing the death...

...OUTLINE
THESIS: Is the deathpenalty right or wrong? Advocates for the deathpenalty and abolitionist against the deathpenalty have debated this issue since the inception of capital punishment. Advocates supporting foundation for the deathpenalty is that it is deterrence because it prevents future murders; and that in the deathpenalty serves as retribution because in a just society, if someone takes a life then they should give their life. Abolitionist is against the deathpenalty because they feel it is immoral, applied unfairly and serves to sanction revenge instead of retribution.
I. The DeathPenalty Does Not Deter Murder
A. The deathpenalty is immoral
B. Application of the deathpenalty is fairly applied
II. The DeathPenalty Does Deter Murder
A. Capital punishment is morally justified
III. Many Countries Have Abolished the DeathPenalty
II. Conclusion
The DeathPenalty Does Not Deter Murder
The deathpenalty is not a successful tool for deterring murder because people commit murder for different reasons and they do not think about the deathpenalty before...